Sarah is a Partner with the Firm. Her practice focuses on defending health care organizations and professionals in complex medical malpractice litigation. Sarah has experience handling birth trauma and complex critical care cases, as well as oncology, wound care, orthopedic surgery, general nursing and other claims. Her experience includes alternative dispute resolution proceedings and all phases of litigation, including trial. In addition, she counsels and presents on EHR/EMR concerns, including patient confidentiality and HIPAA issues, as well as patient guardianship issues.
Sarah’s practice also includes defending professionals in civil rights litigation brought in Federal Court pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, In addition to defending health care professionals, her practice experience includes negligent hiring, defamation and intentional torts. She has also defended clients in first and third-party automobile negligence cases, premises liability, employment and general liability actions.
Prior to joining FBMJ, Sarah worked for a national health system as a claims manager, giving her unique experience working in the industry that she defends.
Sarah graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in cultural anthropology and earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit Mercy while holding a full-time job. During law school she served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Michael James Callahan in the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan.
Sarah is a member of the Negligence section of the State Bar of Michigan and was recognized as a “Rising Star” by Michigan Super Lawyers in 2010 and 2011.
In 2012 Sarah was selected to serve on the Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. She served as the PFAC Nominations and Governance Officer until 2016, and currently serves as an e-advisor for the cancer center. She also serves as an advisor on the University Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council for Michigan Medicine. The PFAC is a partnership of patients and families with healthcare providers and community that works to ensure the highest quality of patient and family centered care at Michigan Medicine.
In 2020 Sarah was appointed to the Executive Committee of the University Hospital and Cardiovascular Center (UH/CVC EC) at Michigan Medicine. The UH/CVC EC is the lead operating committee for the UH/CVC, overseeing the implementation of priorities and goals of the University Hospital, Frankel Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Group, and Children’s & Women’s hospitals. She will serve a 4-year term as a patient-family advisor, helping to ensure the patient and family voice is represented throughout the work, priorities, and strategies of the UH/CVC EC.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
“Anatomy of a Lawsuit” (2019)
Presented at Beaumont Hospital, Farmington Hills, for the Second Annual Nursing Professional Development Day“Defending Your Care Through Effective Documentation and Deposition Skills” (2019)
Presented for the Michigan Society for Respiratory Care, Fall Conference at the Bavarian Inn, Frankenmuth, MI“Defending Your Care Through Effective Documentation and Deposition Skills” (2018)
Presented at Beaumont Hospital, Farmington Hills, for the First Annual Nursing Professional Development Day“Defending Your Care Through Effective Documentation and Deposition Skills” (2017)
Presented at St. Mary Mercy-LivoniaPresenter at Michigan College of Emergency Physicians (MCEP) Conference on Malpractice and Risk Reduction (2013)
“Giving Expert v. Provider Deposition Testimony” (2012)
Presented to Emergency Medicine Residents at Sinai Grace Hospital/Wayne State University Medical School & to Children’s Hospital of Michigan/Wayne State University Medical School Anesthesia Residency Program“Documentation: Best Practices and Defending Your Care at a Deposition” (2011)
Presented to Garden City Hospital (Medical Interns and Residents)“Best Documentation Practices” (2010)
Presented to Children’s Hospital of Michigan/ Wayne State University Medical School Anesthesia Residency Program“Anatomy of a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit” (2010, 2009)
Presented to Children’s Hospital of Michigan Seminar Wayne State University Medical School Anesthesia Residency Program“Visiting Judge” for the Michigan Chapter of International Association of Arson Investigators Courtroom Class (2009)
Guest Speaker, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law’s Bar Strategies Course (2008)
Sarah is happily married (Jeremy) and has two children (Genevieve and Nicolas). She enjoys her family time playing outdoors, doing crafts and reading a lot of children’s books. Sarah and her family host an annual card party where they make handmade Valentine’s Day cards for local cancer centers and children’s hospitals.
Sarah is a wanna-be scientist. She enjoys reading non-fiction regarding biology and physics. Sarah and her husband have “date mornings” at the University of Michigan’s lecture series, Saturday Morning Physics.
Sarah also volunteers at Michigan Medicine, serving as a family advisor on the Patient and Family Advisory Council for the hospital. Sarah is a founding member of the Patient and Family Advisory Council at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. She has worked on numerous projects, but is most proud of working on the “Families Facing Cancer” program and participating in planning meetings for a new, patient and family centered cancer center.
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EDUCATION
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, J.D., 2007
University of Michigan, BA in Cultural Anthropology, 2000
PRACTICE AREAS
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A Great Read
“The Universe and The Teacup: The Mathematics of Truth and Beauty” by K.C. Cole; “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer” by Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee; and “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” by Judy Blume.
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Favorite Musical Artist/Song
Foo Fighters and everything Dave Grohl has ever done.
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All-Time Favorite Movie
The Great Outdoors
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Culinary Favorite(s)
Tacos and chocolate chip cookies.
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Pepsi or Coke?
Starbucks